U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing

Freedom of Religion or Belief in Russia

Thursday, July 10, 2025 
10:30AM – 12:00PM EST

Hearing Transcript

Hearing Summary
 

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing on Russia.

The Russian Federation remains a particularly severe violator of religious freedom. Human rights organizations have identified hundreds of prisoners in Russian custody unjustly imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). The Russian government uses vague, problematic laws to criminalize the activities of several religious groups, punish individuals in ways that violate their FoRB rights, and target human rights activists documenting FoRB violations. In the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, Russian military forces and de facto authorities have banned religious groups, expropriated or destroyed houses of worship, and abducted, imprisoned, and killed religious leaders. In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Russia as a Country of Particular Concern for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Witnesses discussed religious freedom conditions in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine. They also shared recommendations for the U.S. government to support FoRB in Russia.

Opening Remarks

• Vicky Hartzler, USCIRF Chair
• Asif Mahmood, USCIRF Vice Chair
  Written Remarks

Panel I

• Stephen Capus, President and CEO, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
  Written Testimony

Panel II

• Willy Fautré, Director and Co-Founder, Human Rights Without Frontiers
  Written Testimony
• Jarrod Lopes, Regional Director of Communications, World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses
  Written Testimony
• Dan Storyev, English Managing Editor, OVD-Info
  Written Testimony
• Halyna Coynash, Journalist, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
  Written Testimony

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email [email protected].